Metropolis. We pan down to a large, beautiful public park. A crowd has gathered in front of the stage, where the mayor of Metropolis is speaking.

MAYOR: And now I would like to introduce the man of the hour, a man who needs no introduction - the savior of Metropolis!

- a beat -

The audience applauds.

MAYOR: Ladies and gentlemen, Lex Luthor!

The crowd goes wild.

Lex takes the stand. He's cool, collected, charismatic. He looks like someone you could trust. He raises his hands to calm the crowd.

LEX: Now, now. I'm honored by those words, really humbled by them. The honor is not mine alone. I couldn't have facilitated the rebuilding of Metropolis without the courage, hard work, and resilience of her incredible citizens. [applause] This city has known a great deal of pain. [Lex seems emotional] Its known a great deal of suffering. But we've risen from the ashes. We've brought economic stability back to Metropolis. We will not stop fighting for the peace, security, and prosperity of our city.

LEX: We must also be thankful for our hero, the defender of Metropolis - Superman!

Applause.

LEX: We have much to thank Superman for. He defeated the alien threat that nearly destroyed our city. I wish to repay him. I wish to provide him with an early... retirement. [Lex smiles smugly] That's why I'm introducing a partnership with the government to produce new defense technology which will keep our cities safe for years to come. [applause] There are some who say it was Superman's fault the invasion occurred. That his presence brought this General Zod to our world. That he should therefore leave. I feel otherwise. I feel Superman is a hero, and if he doesn't want to retire, I would be honored if he would partner with me and the government to keep our world safe! [applause]

Clark frowns. Lex is leaving the stage now. The crowd is going wild.

LOIS: You can see through everything else. Why can't you see through his ****? Clark?

Clark is gone.

We cut to Superman flying fast through Metropolis. His super hearing is picking up screams. He stops and hovers in the air. We pan down to see - -

what appears to be an alien spacecraft, crashlanded in a Metropolis street. Four large, bulky robotic soldiers are standing by the craft, firing at civilians.

Superman flies down and engages the robots in combat. The bots are durable - difficult for even Superman to destroy. But they cannot harm him. He takes them all down. Then he hears it - - the downed ship is playing a message over and over in various languages. In English... "Find Kal El. Destroy him, and any who stand in your way." Bystanders hear it too. They stare at Superman with uncertainty.

Superman lifts the ship into the sky and flies away.

A Lex Luthor Scene

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

Lex exists the room after conferring with BRAINIAC. His bodyguard, Mercy, accompanies him.

MERCY: Don't make a deal with the devil, Lex.

Lex stops and glares at her.

LEX: Mercy, I am the devil.

Plotline: Lex Luthor wants the people of earth to believe Superman's presence is a threat. After finding a Brainiac satellite in the desert, he accesses the satellites computer mainframe and is able to use it to develop new military technology - robots and weaponry. He uses these robots to stage fake alien "attacks" on earth, each supposedly motivated by the presence of Kal El. When the robots attack Lois (who is on a reporting assignment interviewing Bruce Wayne in Gotham), Superman visits Gotham and is attacked by Batman, who wants Superman out of his city (and has prepared in advance for the eventuality that Superman might arrive). Its a knock-out drag-out fight through the streets of Gotham. Turns out Batman acquired a sample of General Zod's blood and tested its reaction to radioactive kryptonite, discovering the weakness of kryptonians. Meanwhile Alfred and the batcomputer are analyzing one of the destroyed robots. The fight seems at a standstill until Superman, seeing the destruction around them and thinking of Metropolis, stands down and surrenders to Batman. He expects Batman to kill him, and is surprised when Batman stands down as well. Just then Alfred radios in over Bats' earpiece and confirms that the robot is not alien in origin - it is LexCorp tech. The heroes realize their fight was misdirected.

The film concludes with a battle at LexCorp. Luthor constructs Metallo who battles Superman. Batman battles Luthor, who is wearing an alien-tech armored suit. The heroes win, and come to trust each other. Far off in space, Brainiac's skull ship awakens and sets off toward earth.

THE END FOR NOW

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arrow_22

Look for reports of mysterious heroism in the next 6 years. Then check back on this thread

I'm skipping ahead towards the end here, but here's an exchange from near the end of the film, where our heroes have joined forces, foiled Luthor's scheme (which had Metallo and Clayface doing the dirtywork, thus allowing Lex to get away mostly scott-free) and now are speaking to Lex.

INT- Lexcorp Tower- Night

LEX LUTHOR is standing at his window, looking at the alien that has foiled his plan, who has taken the love of his city away from him. He is looking at SUPERMAN, who hovers, staring at him.

LEX
Well, alien? How does it feel? Today, you were brought down to the level of mere mortals, if only for a few minutes... and now you know how we all feel with you lording over us. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if this makes you feel more powerful than ever.

SUPERMAN (grimly)
It does, Lex... it does. But-

LEX (interrupting, once again using his hand gestures)
And I bet you now more than ever think you could rule us! Sweep us from the Earth! Now you know just how powerful you really are and how weak we are! This is why I'm needed, Alien! To stop you!

Suddenly, a sound, a throw! Something coming through the air! LEX then sees a BATARANG hit the window-pillar near him.

BATMAN
No, Luthor. That's my job.

LEX turns and is shocked to see, luring in the shadows, THE BATMAN.

LEX
How the hell did you get in here?

BATMAN
You claim that mankind can't stand, can't achieve, so long as Superman is with us. I think you underestimate us. After all, I beat Superman... and I'm just a man.

LEX
You are NO MAN. And you didn't beat Superman. That was some sort of charade the two of you put on!

Cut to Superman smiling ever-so-briefly. Lex is right. Partially.

BATMAN walks out of the shadows, lurks by Lex.

BATMAN
The only charade I see in here is you, Lex.

SUPERMAN
And you don't need X-Ray vision to see that.

Beat.

SUPERMAN
Oh, and, Batman, left coat pocket.

BATMAN leaps forward, knocking Lex to his desk and frisking his left coat pocket. From it, he draws a lead box.

LEX
No, don't take that, it's the only thing that will protect me from him!

SUPERMAN
Now, Lex, why would you need protecting? I'm Superman. I only go after bad guys.

BATMAN places the kryptonite into his belt. He then jumps up onto the desk, and prepares to leave with Superman.

SUPERMAN
I'll be watching you, Luthor.

BATMAN
...And so will I.

SUPERMAN flies away, BATMAN leaps out of the window and uses his cape to glide.

^I'd rather not have Batman beating Supes. But that's a debate for another thread.

I sort of hint at it, but it's basically done as a charade/accident. I remember how in the New Frontier miniseries it's basically said that Superman and Batman basically staged a fight where Batman "won" just as a way to get certain agencies off their back.

INT. LEX LUTHOR'S OFFICE - NIGHTLex Luthor is sitting in his office at night. Several of his goons - at least thirteen - patrol the lower floors - he can see all of them from a series of computer screens.

All of a sudden, the lights begin to flicker in his office. This is only happening here - the other floors are still lit. Lex goes to call maintenance, but the phone is dead. So is his intercom. Lex gets up and tries to exit the door, but his emergency lock has been enabled.

Going back to his computer screen, he looks at the various security screens. On the lowest floor, the lights go dead. It's dark for about two minutes. The lights come back on, and the room is empty. The guards are gone.

The same thing happens on the next floor. It advances. Lex feels dread building up inside him. He has no idea what's going on. Instinctively, he reaches for a pistol he has hidden under his desk.

The denizens of Gotham's dirty streets look up in surprise as Superman descends. He's a bright contrast with the drab buildings and the misty rain. His eyes scan the buildings, searching. He touches down on the ground. He turns.

There stands Batman, his cape draped over his shoulders, hiding his armor underneath.

BATMAN: I told you to leave Gotham.

SUPERMAN: I'm staying here until I figure out what exactly is going on. Those things - - I don't think they are kryptonian.

BATMAN: Those things killed four of Gotham's citizens when they landed on the freeway looking for you. Your presence here is a threat. Your power is unwanted and unneeded. And if you won't leave, I'll make you.

Superman looks unconvinced.

SUPERMAN: My presence is a threat? What about you? Have you made Gotham a better, a safer place? Or are all those freaks you fight attracted here by your presence?

Batman doesn't answer. Perhaps he doesn't know what to say. He looks beyond Superman, to an old run down movie theatre. Beside it, a dark alleyway.

BATMAN: Darkness isn't alien to Gotham. It was born here.

He draws back his cape, removes an armored plate from his chestpiece, revealing a glowing green piece of kyrptonite embedded in his armor.

Superman staggers back. He feels different. Doesn't understand.

BATMAN: This is a piece of your home. I'm going to use it to keep you out of mine.

Superman makes a desperate charge. The fight is on. But Superman's strength is draining. Batman scores some hits. Supes bleeds.

BATMAN: That's what it feels like to be human.

Superman grabs the metal plate and covers the kryptonite, driving Batman back against the wall. Batman struggles, unable to get free. Superman's strength is returning. Batman presses a few buttons on his belt.

The BATMOBILE roars around a corner and drives straight for them, firing a grappling hook that wraps around Superman. It drags him away, down the street.

Batman recovers, follows.

Superman recovers, sets his feet in the ground. The Batmobile's tires spin. The cable snaps. The car fires a few missiles at Supes, which explode, knocking him backwards. But he rises unharmed.

Then Batman is on him, on his back, arms around his throat. The kryptonite is close. With his last bit of strength Superman takes off, flies away, Batman still on him - - then he loses control, begins spiraling down towards a rooftop. Batman is forced to let go. He uses his cape to glide to safety.

Superman impacts on the roof, falling through several floors. His strength is drained. He needs sunlight. He needs energy. He staggers out a door into an alleyway. Falls to his knees.

There, in the alley, in the rain, are two red roses.

Batman drops from above. Knocks Superman down. Has his hands on his throat.

BATMAN: You're done. Never come back to Gotham. Come back and I'll finish what we started, I swear to you. I want you to remember, Clark. I want to remember the man who beat you. I want you to remember you're not all powerful. I want you to remember - -

Suddenly Superman has his hands on Batman's throat. He lifts Batman off his body, staggers to his feet, eyes filled with defiance. Batman punches him. Supes staggers back, crushing the roses under his feet. Supes opens his mouth as if to speak, but is unable to.

Batman attacks. The result is a fist-fight down crime alley. Batman scores more hits, but Superman's hits, weakened as they are, do more damage. Both are beaten, bloody. With a flying kick, Batman knocks Superman out into the street.

Then Superman unleashes his heat vision - - focused, not full power, but enough to leave Batman's chestplate red hot. Batman staggers back down the alleyway. Retreats.

The exertion was too much. Superman falls unconscious.

Batman removes his chestplate. Has the kryptonite in his hand. He gets to the Batmobile, gets in. Quickly re-suits with a spare suit of armor. Drives the Batmobile around to where Superman fell.

Superman is gone.

Suddenly the Batmobile is being lifted into the air, far into the skies above Gotham. Batman ejects. Glides.

Superman drops the Batmobile down into the Gotham Harbor far below. Batman glides into him, Kryptonite in his fist, beating him. Superman falls, but punches through Batman's glider-cape.

SUPERMAN: I fall, you fall.

Batman doesn't respond. They are continuing to fall. Together.

SUPERMAN: I can save us both. I can save everyone. You have to trust me.

Falling. The wind is too loud for Batman to speak. Superman is weakening, losing consciousness.

Batman throws the kryptonite away. Superman flies them to safety just before impact. Lands at a dockyard. Batman is breathing heavily.

Superman looks through some buildings.

SUPERMAN: The glowing rock is about two hundred yards that way, next to a trash heap.

For the first time, Batman registers real surprise.

SUPERMAN: Maybe you're right about me. Maybe I am a threat. [beat] You're concerned about my power. Sometimes I'm completely afraid of it. Sometimes there's nothing I want more than to be - human. [he wipes the blood from his chin] My father died in front of me. I could have saved him. But I didn't. Because he didn't think I should reveal what I could do - - I because I trusted him. Trust has costs. I've never felt more human than I did in that moment.

Batman says nothing.

SUPERMAN: I'm willing to trust you. Even though I'm pretty sure you are completely crazy.

BATMAN: Just get out of Gotham.

Superman nods, disappointed. He flies away.

Batman stares after him, drenched by rain, deep in thought.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arrow_22

Look for reports of mysterious heroism in the next 6 years. Then check back on this thread

Alright, third part of that act I'm trying to do. Kind of a "cool down," debriefing scene.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

SCENE-A mobile Batcave. Superman, with his cape detached, is lying on a medical slab with a strange breathing apparatus attached. LOIS LANE, her arms folded and concern on her face, is by his side, looking down at him. We see the breathing apparatus contains a liquid that enters and exits Superman's lungs.

LOIS LANE: Is it working?

BRUCE: (offscreen) Too soon to tell. The solution's removing particles from his lungs as its supposed to, but I won't be able to gauge whether its the kryptonite or ash until I run more tests.

LOIS: And how are you? He's the one poisoned, but you looked like hell when you got here.

BRUCE: I'm fine.

Lois looks over at ALFRED, who's quietly putting away a medical kit, with a consternation look on his face.

LOIS: That's not what Alfred thinks.

BRUCE: (growling) I said I'm fine.

ALFRED: You'll have to forgive Bruce. The closest thing he has to a friend aside from myself's a pretty cat burglar who scratched up the car. He's not really a people person.

LOIS: Far cry from the Bruce Wayne we met.

BRUCE: Htt. Far cry from reality, you mean. That Bruce Wayne doesn't exist. He's a disguise at best, a distraction at worse. Just like Clark is to Superman.

LOIS: It's not as simple as that. It shouldn't be.

We turn to see BRUCE WAYNE, his torso armor and helmet stripped off, beaten, bruised, and bloody, at his computer opening, reading, editing, and closing files across three screens. His back is to Lois and Superman, and he's clearly still working in spite of his injuries.

BRUCE: You're right. It should be simpler. Your little farm boy wastes time he could use elsewhere. If I had half his powers, I wouldn't need to waste my time as some idiot playboy-philanthropist. A normal life's something you sacrifice in our line of work.

ALFRED: Bruce...

BRUCE: What, Alfred? What do I need Bruce Wayne for? He can't protect Grayson and bring down Zucco, can he? He can't close the case on the clown's murders. He can't throw Strange out of Arkham. All he's good for is shaking hands, playing drunk at parties, and helping a genocidal sociopath build the world's biggest gun and point it straight down at a city of seven million people.

ALFRED: And he's Gotham's first son, the caretaker of a good family's legacy hundreds of years old, and the only son of my best friend.

BRUCE: And if I were free of him, I wouldn't have to worry about those I care about, increase and update my armory, and take care of business without fear of the consequences.

LOIS: Like Lex?

Bruce glares at Lois. She stares back just as hard. He breaks eye contact, sighs, rubs his temple, and looks back at the screens.

BRUCE: (calmer and somewhat conciliatory) Alfred, I need you and Lois to dig up anything connecting Lex to Intergang for the authorities. If you can't find anything concrete-

LOIS:-Hand the circumstantial evidence to some blogger with some credibility and spam it across the Internet.

BRUCE: Exactly. And while your at it, I'm emailing you the back door codes to both WayneTech's Safe Skies division and General Eiling's personal computer. See if you can cross reference any of that with Clark's findings on Intergang. Eiling's just as dirty as Luthor, but he's nowhere near as smart. And Ms. Lane, trust Afred. He's tougher than he looks.

Lois reluctantly leaves Clark's side after giving him a kiss, gathers her coat, and starts to follow Alfred out. She turns back just before leaving.

LOIS: You better thank him for saving your life when he wakes up. You owe him that much, Bruce.

He looks after her as she leaves. He spends the next few seconds typing away at his computer before a sputtering sound is heard. Superman is pulling himself off the table, wrenching off the mask, and throwing up the liquid.

BRUCE: You should rest. We might not have gotten the kryptonite out of your lungs yet.

SUPERMAN: I don't feel weak, just nauseous. I'm guessing that container the stuff's going in is lead.

BRUCE: (nods) As is the cable system that was extracting it from your lungs. Stay there, I need to run a diagnostic.

SUPERMAN: (rising) I'll let you know if anything's wrong. What are we going to do about Luthor and this...Brainiac thing?

BATMAN: I'm working on it. And you should be resting with those injuries.

SUPERMAN: And I'd say the same thing about you. What's on the rest of these screens?

BATMAN: Other cases. I work better when I'm multi-tasking.

SUPERMAN: I'll just bet you do. Okay, so Luthor is working with some Technological being who's been infiltrating that fancy computer system you designed for the satellites. When I first encounter Brainiac, he scanned my brain somehow for information, just like Zod did. But something was wrong, because I managed to see his thoughts as well.

BRUCE: What is he?

SUPERMAN: I think he's an ancient weapon from another planet. I got this feeling of depth going back thousands of years. What I do know, is he's got a primary program to expose civilizations to some number of catastrophic scenarios and record our response. I saw some old city drowning under waves, rats getting off trade ships, and if I'm not mistaken, a colonial town coming under attack, maybe even Roanoke.

BRUCE: Any idea what he wants with Safer Skies?

SUPERMAN: I...I don't know. I saw Lex towers, and one of the satellites, but that's it.

Batman taps on his computer console, then begins typing.

BRUCE: Luthor's relocated his daughter to an out of state safe house and ordered the majority of his elite scientific staff to other buildings in other cities. If Brainiac has killed people in the past, he's done a damn good job of covering his tracks.

His fingers freeze on the keyboard.

BRUCE: Damn it. That's why he wanted Eiling heading the project for the military. The general's dirty dealing provides the perfect cover for having an accidental discharge of the main satellite weapon at whatever launch point Brainiac intends to use to download onto the satellites. And the perfect Broadcast disc from which to launch Brainiac's download-

SUPERMAN:-Is right on top of Lex Towers. No wonder its taken so long to finish.

BRUCE: And a single discharge from those things would level Metropolis. Which means he needs a to wait for the main satellite to come directly above the city before firing in order to make the discharge look accidental. We take out the satellite, or the towers, and we stop this.

SUPERMAN: It can't be that easy.

BATMAN: And it isn't. Lex has stationed his security forces throughout the tower, and that tracker I placed on one of the drones shows at least some of Brainiac's components are converging on Metropolis. And even if we succeed, Brainiac will probably just slip away and try an uplink somewhere else.

SUPERMAN: We should hit both and try and trap him mid-transmission.

BATMAN: It's risky. (Pause) I'll take care of the satellite. It's in extremely low orbit, still technically in the atmosphere, being suspended by those antigravity generators Luthor claims to have invented. They must be Brainiac tech. I can take the Wing right up to it if I configure it for orbital flight, hop on board, and take over the computer console there. You'll deal with Luthor and Brainiac's forces down here. We'll communicate with broadcast plugs.

SUPERMAN: Are you sure you're up for this?

BATMAN: Are you?

SUPERMAN: I have to be. There's no way I'm letting that thing play God from a giant space cannon.

BATMAN: Alright. I've got some solar panels back there I can configure them to give you a boost while the Wing configures.

SUPERMAN: Alright. Let's do this.

We see Superman charging using the solar machine as Batman has the computer customize the Batwing. Batman also dons a new set of armor, inserting new contacts into his eyes. They glow as he pulls on his mask. We see the two of them looking on as the computer finishes configuring the Batwing.

SUPERMAN: If this goes bad, and you're around to see Lois...

BATMAN: I'll give her your love. I know what it's like to lose someone close to you.

SUPERMAN: So does Alfred. You should listen to him more. He's right about Bruce Wayne mattering. He's the face of hope for Gotham City.

BATMAN: He's not worthy of Gotham, or it's children.

SUPERMAN: Then fix that.

Batman enters the Batwing.

SUPERMAN: Good luck.

BATMAN: No thanks. We won't need it.

He takes off. Superman follows. They both leave contrails behind them. The finale has arrived.

__________________“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

SCENE-The Metropolis Rebirth gala. A massive fundraiser taking place in the same station that Zod was killed in, obviously repaired and prettied up for the party. We see a digital counter adding up the donations as they arrive. Underneath it is CLARK KENT, in an obviously cheer suit than his peers. He is uncomfortably fidgeting with his tie and staring at a plaque across the room. It says:

IN MEMORIUM: HERE OUR HERO DEALT OUR JUSTICE IN OUR DARKEST HOUR.

Underneath, in smaller print, are the words:

PLACED BY THE PEOPLE OF METROPOLIS WITH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM LEX LUTHOR.

Clark glowers softly at the plaque, clearly displeased with everything about. Over his shoulder, we see LOIS LANE approach him.

LOIS LANE: Feeling okay?

CLARK: (shrugs) I've felt better.

He turns to see that Lois is dressed gorgeously, and he gives her a quick up and down before smiling shyly.

CLARK: You know, you still haven't told me who gave you the tickets for this thing. I mean, I don't mean to listen to press gossip, but Cat Grant keeps saying you got the invite from an old flame. (Teasingly) Should I be jealous of some rich ex-boyfriend, or what?

LOIS: (annoyed) Okay, listen up, Smallville. First off, don't ever listen to Cat Grant and her office gossip. She's just fishing you for more information, and she's a pain in @$$. Trust me, I know from experience. Second, no, I did not get my invitation and plus one from an old boyfriend. You might want to be worried though, since he does have an...exciting reputation. And lastly-

She stops, puts her hand on his chest and looks him in the eyes.

LOIS: -the rich ex-boyfriend is going to be seated at the table. But trust me, you have nothing to worry about with him. Lex Luthor's a scum bag with bulletproof publicity. It doesn't matter how well he smiles, how affable he is, I know The real him. And to be honest, I invited you to help me through anything he tries to start tonight.

They start forward again.

CLARK: You know, I actually met Lex when I was a kid.

LOIS: Really? How did a far boy from Kansas get to spend time with the "Man of Tomorrow?"

CLARK: I, uh, I won a science contest and got a trip to MIT. He was my roommate for a week.

Clark chuckles as they their table. It is richly decorated and set, and Clark clearly feels uncomfortable. As he sits down, he notices a small red headed girl, about seven or eight years old, shyly looking at him. He smiles back at her.

CLARK: Hello. My name's Clark. Are you looking for your parents?

GIRL: No.

CLARK: Do you know where they are?

Before she can respond, Lois sees her. Lois's whole posture and look get somewhat protective and suspicious.

LOIS: Lena, do you remember me? I'm Lois Lane. Is Lex around here?

LEX: ( From directly behind her) Yes, in fact I am.

Lois tenses up. We see LEX LUTHOR, dressed in a solid white Tuxedo but for a black tie, smiling down at her. In the background are two tall, statuesque women wearing dark sunglasses and more utilitarian, but still fashionable, suits. These are HOPE and MERCY, Lex's bodyguards. Lex moves around and sits down on the other side of Lois, who signals for a waiter to fill her wine glass.

LEX: It's a pleasure to see you again, Lois. And I must say, that dress is almost as beautiful as you are. Do you like her dress, Lena?

LENA: (quietly, a little uncertain) Yes. She's very pretty.

Lois gives Lena a sympathetic and pained look and takes a healthy sip of her wine.

LOIS: Thanks for noticing. By the way, this is my date, Clark. Say hello, Clark.

CLARK: Uh, hello, my name is Clark-

LEX: -Kent. (Lex smiles) You're Clark Kent from Smallville. You were my roommate at the Einstein Celebration! How have you been?

CLARK: (clearly pleased) Uh, pretty good. I got a job working at the Dailey Planet with Lois right after the attack.

LEX: It's great to see you again. Wow, that was a long time ago. I was still going by Alex back then, wasn't I? How's your mother by the way? She still make "the best apple pies in Kansas?"

CLARK: Oh, great, you remember that. She's uh, she's good.

LEX: And how about Jonathon? How's your father?

CLARK: He passed away a few years ago.

LEX: Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. What do we say Lena?

LENA: (eyes downcast) We're sorry for your loss.

Lois gives Lena another look, then glares at Clark. He looks back, confused.

LEX: So, Lois, which of my esteemed peers arranged for our reunion?

LOIS: (pointing forward) Bruce Wayne. On his way now.

We see a small group of debutantes and socialites gathered around a well-dressed, energetic, and perpetually smiling man. This is Bruce Wayne. He's accompanied by not one, but two red heads himself, though both can be seen stashing notebooks and recorders on their person. He is walking backwards toward their table, clearly in the middle of telling a joke.

BRUCE:- and then Alfred, bless his heart, he's a sweet guy, says "I don't care how much money you donated, the Gotham Rogues are not going to let play quarterback." Luckily, they had no problem with kicking a preseason field goal. And we all know how that went!

Everyone chuckles politely, and Bruce turns around to greet the table.

BRUCE: Lex, man, I have to tell you, this is a great party. I mean, you've got wine from before my grandfather was born, excellent food, and you've got the best party guests. I mean, I'm looking around and hoping you saved some money for the fundraising, man.

LEX: That's your department, Bruce. I'm rebuilding this city as fast as I can, but like attracts like. The more luxurious the party, the more luxurious the donations. And may I ask who these lovely young ladies are?

BRUCE: Right, man, right. It's a funny story. See, I had this interview set up with Summer Gleason here-say hi, Summer- for Gotham Live, but I had to cancel. Then, I scheduled a date with Vicky Vale here-(he kisses her cheek)-for last Saturday, so she could interview me about our little business deal and I could enjoy her company for an evening, but then she had to cover those Intergang attacks. So, I asked them if they'd like me to make it up to them and here we are.

SUMMER: (obviously a little exhilarated and tipsy) I honestly had no idea he'd called her, okay? I just want to make that clear. I mean, I'm having a blast, but-

VICKY: Oh calm down, Gleason. The gossip rags aren't going to say anything worse than what they were going to say before.

Vicky and Lois make eye contact, smile menacingly, and bear their metaphorical claws.

VICKY: Lois.

LOIS: Vicky.

BRUCE: Lois! You got my invitation! So glad you could make it! And again, great job on the 'Faces of the Rebirth' article. 'Bruce Wayne, in spite of his reputation for reckless and rash spending, maintains his families great track record of philanthropy, and is seen by some displaced Metropolitans as almost a saint.' That kind of sincere flattery deserves a reward!

VICKY: So you invited her, too. Swell.

BRUCE: Yeah! What do you think Lex? I've got the full set of beautiful redheaded ace reporters. And am I right? You and Summer were roommates in college?

LOIS: Yes.

BRUCE: And you and Vicky were awesome last year in 60 minutes special. I mean, you guys came off as great friends.

LOIS: Friends may be the wrong word to use, Bruce.

VICKY: Rivals fits better.

BRUCE: Ohhhhh. So this was a, uh....

LEX: Bad idea is the phrase you're looking for, Bruce. I give you points for ambition, but the execution leaves something to be desired.

BRUCE: Right. (Looks at Lena) Your father's right, kid. Take note; never invite two people to a four person date if they're rivals. Get it?

LENA: (giggling) Got it!

BRUCE: Good!

We see a small bit of displeasure flicker over Lex's face. Bruce still smiles mischiviously, then sees Clark.

BRUCE: Oh, sorry buddy, didn't see you there. And you are?

CLARK: Clark Kent, Daily Planet. I'm, uh, Lois's plus one.

BRUCE: Plus one?

LEX: Yes, he's the fifth person in that four person date you mentioned.

BRUCE: Oh yeah, I forgot to make it a single. Well, glad to have you with us all the same. The more the merrier! I'm sorry ladies, and I apologize. Still, it's a shame to waste such a nice table and great food. Besides, I hear Lex has a juicy announcement to make in a few minutes that you'll want to report on.

SUMMER: (sobering quickly) Really?

LEX: You have this annoying habit of spoiling surprises, Bruce. Yes, I'm going to make an announcement in a few minutes that's going to change the world, if I do say so myself. But for now, let's eat.

We cut to a few minutes later, as we see small bits and pieces of the meal. Lois and Vicky are being catty with one another, Luthor and Bruce are dominating the conversation, and Clark clearly feels like an outside observer. Eventually, Mercy approaches Lex and whispers in his ear.

LEX: There we are. General Eiling has arrived, and so my announcement can be made. If you ladies so desire, we can make it an impromptu press conference. It's going to cover a joint venture between LexCorp, Wayne Enterprises, and the military.

CLARK: Um, which military?

LEX: All of them. Now, if you'll follow me...

He gets up to leave, Vicky and Summer rise to follow. Lex signals to Hope, who comes and escorts Lena away. Lois turns to Clark.

LOIS: (whispering) See if you can pick Wayne's brain for anything about this joint venture. Should be pretty easy for a rookie, right?

The table is cleared except for Bruce and Clark. Bruce downs a whole glass of wine.

CLARK: So, Mr. Wayne...

BRUCE: Please, it's Bruce.

CLARK: Alright. So, Bruce, any clues as to what this announcement is going to be about?

BRUCE: Wellll, it's supposed to be Lex's little surprise, but I can tell you it has to do with something that happened in this building.

CLARK: Really? You mean the alien fight.

BRUCE: Yeah, man. You see, about a year ago, we got wind of this response plan LexCorp was cooking up. We had no idea what it is, and they're our biggest competitor, but soon after, Cueball himself comes over and proposes we come up with a plan to stop the mess that happened in Metropolis from happening again.

CLARK: Cueball.

BRUCE: Yeah, you know, because he's-

CLARK: Bald. Yes, I got it.

We pull away towards a makeshift podium behind which Lex stands, preparing to make an announcement.

LEX: Everyone, may I have your attention please. Tonight, we have gathered here for the cause of rebuilding this great city back to the marvel it was before the terrible attack one year ago. We have donated out time, our money-and at least in my case, quite a bit of alcohol (people laugh)- to reforge the steel that held our city high, replace the glass that was shattered, and restructure the neural network that made this place the hub of business and progress across the globe. So now, I, Alexander Joeseph Luthor, propose a toast: to the people of LexCorp burning the candle at both ends, to our friends from Gotham and Wayne Enterprises and their deep pockets...

BRUCE: (smiling) Here, Here.

LEX: To everyone here making sacrifices, to the people and workers who make Metropolis what it is, and lastly, to our new protector, who ended the alien onslaught in this very room. To all of them, I wish strength and courage, for the challenges of tomorrow and the new future we shall forge. Cheers.

Everyone sips the toast. Lex looks at his glass, then continues.

LEX: But while we work to return to glory, we must also look to the future with a certain amount of caution as well. We are not alone. We have the friendship of one outsider from a strange world, but we have nothing aside from he himself to protect us. And so, Id like to announce that with the sanction of the UN Security Council, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the support of our friends at WayneEnterprises, we bring you the safer skies initiative. A protective ring of satellites armed to protect us from external invasion with extreme prejudice.

The lights dim and a projection begins to play illustrating the satellite system, showcasing it firing outwards at facsimiles of the Black Zero. Luthor continues as we focus on Bruce and Clark quietly talking.

CLARK: So which part of the satellites did WayneTech construct?

BRUCE: Uh, I think we built the guidance system and the energy system. Lucious Fox told me it was a brand new solar-powered battery, five times more powerful than anything we've built before. What do you think?

CLARK: Impressive. But how do they justify a weapon built for a once in a lifetime scenario? We'll probably never see another alien contact.

BRUCE: That's part of the thought, yeah, but the guns are supposed to face outward, so it's an emergency weapon, really. Y'know, it's kind of funny, but I've seen all the memorial plaques across the city, but only that one (he points towards the one in the room) was payed for by Lex Luthor. And it's kind of a little intense, man. "Our hero dealt our justice." I mean, one dude killed another dude. That's it.

CLARK: ...Lois interviews Superman after the fight. She says he wishes it hadn't come to that.

BRUCE: I heard she was the first reporter on the scene. She ever tell you what it was like? It was kind of glossed over in her article on the battle.

CLARK: When she came in, Zod was already dead. He'd been trying to burn this family with those eye lasers they have, and she says she heard the snap out in the street when Zod was killed. She saw Superman on his knees, crying. I don't think he's the type of man who has it in him to kill people.

BRUCE: Well, he had it in him that day, didn't he?

CLARK: No. He was desperate, scared, inexperienced, and being goaded by the man who killed his father into killing him. I'm willing to bet if he knew what was coming and had more experience, Zod would be here to answer for his crimes.

BRUCE: You're one of those idealistic reporters, aren't you? Truth, Justice, and the American Way, right?

CLARK: Don't knock it till you've tried it. And is that Wade Eiling?

BRUCE: I think so. To be honest, when Lex was talking, Vicky was kind of rubbing her leg against mine...

CLARK: Wade Eiling's been almost court martialed three times. They say the only reason he's still in uniform is because he blackmails his superiors.

BRUCE: But they can't prove anything, can they?

CLARK: Not since Nathaniel Adam disappeared five years ago.

BRUCE: Well, hey, sometimes you got to put a weapon in the hands of someone who will use it right?

CLARK: Depends on who the someone is.

End of scene

__________________“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

SCENE- The Safer Skies main satellite: a huge vertical monolith that looks like a giant rail gun, complete with four "jaws" creating the barrel. Sitting at the edge of the Stratosphere, the satellite is locked in a world of perpetual twilight, hovering above the earth using Brainiac's anti-gravity machines, with just enough atmosphere left to remove the need for suits but not enough oxygen to breathe. We pan up to the top of the satellite, where Batman is standing with a modified helmet. The wind is constantly blowing his cape into epic shapes. He is clearly already hacking into the satellite's computer system.

BRUCE: On site and currently hacked into the computer system. We were right. There's enough memory space here to store an AI like Brainaic indefinitely. I recognize the design from LexCorp's new super-computers. Have they begun transmitting yet?

CUT-Metropolis, Mid-day. Superman is floating above the city, scanning around with his x-ray vision. He casts another look towards Lex Towers, and we see through his eyes a bustling command center, but he switches vision to show no current in the satellite yet.

SUPERMAN: Not yet. And you're right, they've got only a skeleton crew manning the tower. Eiling and his men are in the control tower, but they're just standing around. How's Luthor going to explain his absence from Metropolis if the gun safely fires?

BATMAN (through radio): He's out of the country, having a specialist treat his daughter's crushed wrist.

SUPERMAN: What happened?

BATMAN: They're saying I did it. She was fine when I saw her, and she hasn't ever been out of Luthor's custody.

Superman scowls angrily.

SUPERMAN: So how are we going to trap Brainiac between the broadcaster and the satellite?

CUT- The satellite.

BATMAN: If possible, you're going to destroy his land based drones as soon as he begins his transmission. When he makes contact with this satellite, I'll run a program designed to enslave the weapon and maneuvering systems to my computer. He'll be downloaded successfully, but paralyzed.

Batman casts a glance towards the computer screen, where we see warning message flash:

SECURITY BREACH DETECTED-DEPLOYING COUNTERMEASURE

Batman glares down at the screen, clearly surprised.

BATMAN: I've triggered a security line. Any action on your end?

SUPERMAN (radio): None. They don't seem to have noticed.

Batman hears something. Narrowing his eyes, he walks over the engines to peer down. He sees a mechanic's hatch open. One just big enough to hold a rather large man. He is suddenly hit from behind and falls off the ledge, revealing DEATHSTROKE, carrying a weaponized staff and brandishing it threateningly. We follow Batman down as he grabs on to a solar panel and hangs on, his cape still blowing in the wind.

BATMAN: Deathstroke's here. I'll deal with him. As soon as they begin transmitting, take out whatever drones you see.

Deathstroke, holding on to his own cable, drops down opposite of Batman and swings towards him, energizing the end of his staff and trying to impale Batman with it. We see Batman launch a cable and pull himself around the satellite. We then focus on Deathstroke's mask, which we now see has one glowing green eye adjacent to the red one. We focus on the green one and switch to....

CUT: LexLabs. Luthor and Milton Fine/Brainiac are observing a green tinted display that shows Deathstroke's POV, obviously from the killer's new eye.

LEX: I told you one of them would make a run on the satellites. And Deathstroke was the perfect "security feature" to stow aboard. But I'm curious, if you saw the need to follow my advice after they sped up the launch, how'd you get him there?

BRAINIAC: After his failure to execute the human interloper, I had one of my drones merge with him and secrete himself in the main satellite. My drone kept him alive thanks to his enhancements and my nanites.

LEX: Impressive. I didn't know you could do that.

BRAINIAC: This body itself was created the same way. You should have realized this. Gods do not bleed. Organics do.

LEX: I'll keep that in mind.

CUT: Metropolis. Superman raises his hand to his ear.

SUPERMAN: Batman! Are you sure you can handle him?

BATMAN (radio): I'm fine! Take care of the drones.

SUPERMAN: The drones aren't moving! They're staying in their pods!

Suddenly, we hear a rumble. Dust and detritus rises from the ground. We see through Superman's eyes that the pods themselves are moving. One of them breaks the service. It looks like a giant green eye. It focuses on Superman.

SUPERMAN: Never mind. Yes they are. They're just a little bigger than I expected.

The green eye pulses once, and a green shockwave floods outward, shutting down Metropolis once more. As it hits Superman, his radio shorts out for a while, but fades in and out with static.

BATMAN: * kzzzz* -peat that-*kzzz*-bigger?

Superman hurls himself into one of the drones, only to be swarmed by dozens of smaller ones.

SUPERMAN: Yes, bigger!

__________________“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

I've read the "Batman vs Superman" first draft, here is the basic plotline:

-We are introduced to the new Gotham City in the first scenes.

-Batman has been framed for the murders of several criminals and the Gotham Police Department is after him.

-Gordon thinks Batman is innocent but he has his hands tied.

-Just when Batman is close to catch a criminal, said criminal is murdered just a moment before. He is unable to identify the assassin, but follows him to what seems to be his hideout.

-The place is suddenly surrounded by the cops, the murderer must have called them, the hunt for the bat's head begins. It's very similar to the famous scene from "Year One" that was paid tribute in "Batman Begins" or in the last scenes of TDK, but this time the cops are really close to kill Batman, he barely escapes alive with Alfred's assistance (who is using the Batcave's computers to monitor the police's movements and to help Bruce).

-After some investigation in the batcave, Batman learns that the murders are somehow connected to Lexcorp when one of the Wayne Enterprises satellites finds out that several encrypted transmissions have been sent from Lexcorp's main offices to the location of the assassin's hideout during the last few weeks.

-Batman tells Alfred that he might have found a clue about who could be behind the murders, and they are going to travel somewhere else outside Gotham City pretty soon.

-The following scenes are placed in Metropolis.

-The damaged parts of the city are being rebuilt by Lexcorp.

-Perry tells Lois that she and Clark have to cover for the Planet a big party where Lex Luthor is raising founds for the victims of the kryptonian attack in the previous film.

-Lois opinion about Luthor is not very good, while Lombards thinks that he is "a real hero" that is saving Metropolis.

-Once in the party, Lex is introduced and gives a speech that is received with a great applause and enthusiasm. He thanks everybody (there are guests from all around the world) for supporting Metropolis and its people in these tough times after the frustrated "alien invasion".

-Lex then shows a hologram of how Metropolis will look after Lexcorp has finished its work (this reminded me to the party scene in the "Lois & Clark" tv pilot).

-Then Lex welcomes Lois and Clark. Lois has covered Luthor's rise to fame and how Lexcorp has become one of the main american companies, but she thinks that his methods can be very shady.

-While Lex is focused in his conversation with Lois and basically ignores Clark, the new Daily Planet reporter leaves them both to grab a couple of drinks for Lois and himself, and in the bar he meets Bruce Wayne, "the only american in the party as rich as Luthor", Clark says. Wayne makes clear that he is "actually richer", but maybe not for too long, since rebuilding Metropolis is going to guarantee huge profits for Lexcorp, and they have also got several militar contracts that Wayne Enterprises rejected because Bruce was not interested in "certain fields" (military weapons).

-Their conversation is quite friendly and Bruce tells Clark that if he ever goes to Gotham he should call him, and gives him his "Wayne Enterprises CEO" card, something that impresses Lois shortly afterwards, since Wayne's relationship with the press has always been strictly professional or charity-related, not much is known about his personal life except for his romances with all kinds of women, so she thinks that it's weird that they are now "friends" and congratulates Clark because he could be the first reporter that could get a personal interview from Bruce Wayne.

-Back in the Daily Planet, Clark is on his desk using his computer to look for info about both Luthor and Wayne. He finds out that Lex is a self-made billonaire and a genius in almost every known field, while Bruce is the main heir of the Wayne Family who lost his parents by a violent incident when he was a kid. I guess this way the "origin" story for Bruce/Batman is not necessary on this movie.

-Soon afterwards Superman is contacted by the military through the same guy from MoS (General Swanwick): the US government is concerned by the Gotham vigilante known as Batman, he has become a dangerous example that could be followed in other cities by "other extremists thinking that they can mete out justice by themselves". The police has not been able to catch him so far and the use of military force could scare the gothamites, specially after the events of MoS, if the citizens saw the military in their streets they could freak out, so the president has decided to ask for Superman's help to handle the situation. Superman accepts the task, he'll try to find out what has happened and will stop Batman if it's necessary. I guess this is the main "Dark Knight Returns" influence that was talked about.

-Later that night, Batman sneaks into Lexcorp's main building looking for new intel about who might have framed him, but what he finds there is something else that was completely unexpected, Luthor seems to be working on something way bigger than what Batman could have thought before. He finds out that Lexcorp has all the remains of Zod's ship and all kinds of intel about the kryptonians. They also seem to be builiding/making something else that is undoubtly related to the kryptonians and Superman. Then the alarms go off and Batman has to leave before the security cams or the guards can see him.

-When Batman is leaving the Lexcorp building, Superman has previously heard the alarms and finds him, telling him to freeze/stop. Batman knows that he is no rival for the kryptonian, he could be dead in less than a second if Superman wanted it so, but anyway he has to try or otherwise he could find his end right there.

-Batman uses some of his gadgets and everything he has on his utility belt, but nothing seems to work against Supes.

-Superman tries to make him understand that he can't escape and should just surrender, but due to pure despair Batman just runs towards Superman and punches him on the face. Batman is surprised because Superman is so fast that he could have easily dodged the punch, but something seems different, something has changed, and Superman starts to bleed, you can see the shock in both of their faces.

-Then Batman continues beating the sh** out of Supes, he just can't react, he tries to defend himself, but he is unable to do it.

-Once Superman is completely beaten in the floor, Batman realizes about how this has been possible: he had picked something from the Lexcorp labs, a little green rock with a level of energy and radiation so high that immediately caught his attention. Somehow this radiation must have been absorbed by Superman's cells like the sunlight, but instead of making him stronger, this radiation seems to make him weaker.

-Batman tells Superman to be careful, because that rock was just one of the several that Luthor had on his lab, and he doubts that Lex has got them with the best of the intentions.

-Batman leaves with the rock and Superman starts to feel better and can stand up and also leave.

-Next day Clark is fully recovered, the sunlight has healed him and he talks with Lois about what happened the night before. Lois is obviously pretty concerned about what is going on in Lexcorp, but Clark asks her to not get into trouble, he will find out why Lex is collecting all that kryptonian stuff.

-Then Superman contacts General Swanwick again to ask him why Luthor has all the remains of the kryptonian spaceships plus much more intel about him and Krypton. Swanwick seems to be genuinely surprised and doesn't know what Superman is talking about, but he is going to call to The Pentagon asap to learn what is going on, since all the kryptonian stuff was being supposedly in the US military's and government's hands, not in the hands of a private company.

-Meanwhile Lois is (obviously) investigating by herself what is going on in Lexcorp, and when she is getting close to know the truth, she is almost kidnapped by Lexcorp's men, but before that happens Batman appears and stops them, saving Lois.

-He tells her that he has found out what Luthor is doing: Lex is looking for kryptonian's weaknesses to build a machine powerful enough to kill Superman or any other kryptonian. Certain people in the government asked for Lexcorp's help after the kryptonian attack in MoS because Luthor was seen by them as the only human that could accomplish such task. This way Lexcorp also got all the military contracts that Wayne Enterprises rejected, being the main one to look for a way to defend humans against Superman or other kryptonians if this was necessary. This last project was only known by a few people in the government like the Secretary of Defense, hence why Swanwick had no idea about it.

-Lois tells this all to Clark and as Superman he goes to demand an explanation from Luthor in Lexcorp. Once there Lex tells him that he is a danger for the whole human kind, that his people almost killed us all and his mere existence is just unacceptable. They have a verbal fight and afterwards Luthor introduces his new creation: Metallo, an android with the sole purpose of killing kryptonians, powered by the immense energy of what he calls the "kryptonite" rocks.

-From the description in the screenplay, Ultron is going to have a tough competition for the "Badassest Killer Android of The Year" award in 2015. He/It has been built with the remains of the kryptonian ships, that were made with materials tougher than anything found on Earth so far, he is also way bigger than Superman (more like a mechanical Hulk), is as strong and as fast as him, has kryptonite lasers coming out of his eyes and mouth, feels no pain and has no feelings, his/its only goal is to kill Superman and nothing can stop him/it.

-He/It is an android without human parts like his comics counterpart, I guess WB/DC want to avoid any possible controversy once Superman (obviously) wins and "kills" this machine.

-Then the "big" fight starts, after the huge fight in MoS it's obvious that Snyder needs another good show for this new movie, but this time the screenplay makes it very clear that Superman is much more experienced and careful to avoid any possible collateral damage. Also pretty soon he is joined by Batman in a flying machine that I guess that will be pretty similar to "The Bat" from TDKR or maybe a modernized Batplane, this is going to be amazing for sure, can't wait to see it on screen.

-Metallo is winning the fight against Superman, and Batman can barely stop him/it. His flying machine is ripped by Metallo in the middle of the battle, but he is able to jump out of it before it crashes in an evacuated building/street or in the sea (the screenplay leaves this to the director's choice).

-The fight continues without Batman, who from the top of a building sees the Lexcorp tower and understands that he has to find Lex and force him to stop this all before Superman is dead and half of the city is destroyed (again XD).

-Batman finds Lex, and just when he is about to kick his b*tt, he is stopped by motherfreaking Deathstroke, who has been hired by Luthor to protect himself and was the real assassin behind all the deaths in Gotham that Batman was framed for.

-Luthor sent Deathstroke to Gotham to frame Batman and this way force the "Superman vs Batman" confrontation later through his military and government contacts. Luthor thought that Superman would easily kill Batman, and once this happened he would clear Batman's name and Superman's public image would be severely damaged for having killed an innocent human and superhero. Luthor's ultimate goal is the White House in a few years, and once there he would have used Metallo against Superman when the "alien" was at his lowest point of popularity, Batman's death would have been just the first step to damage said popularity, but he didn't count with Batman coming to Metropolis, his subsequent survival and the following events. I'm not completely sure about how they are going to explain all of this in the movie, but I guess that it will be developed in the next drafts.

-Batman and Deathstroke fight while Superman and Metallo do the same thing, but both heroes are having a tough time. The Batman fight is planned to show all his potential as a fighter like no other film has done it before.

-Superman finally learns how to avoid the kryptonite influence, fighting Metallo from the distance, using his heat vision, his superspeed, and also throwing all kinds of stuff towards the android. Superman is healing from his previous wounds due to the sunlight and Metallo is finally losing, but before that could happen, he/it has a last card up his/its metallic sleeve: his/its goal is to kill Superman by any means necessary, even if that means to start a selfdestruct protocol that will blow up the whole east coast with a kryptonite-nuclear explosion, not even Superman could survive to this.

-Then Superman makes the choice to grab Metallo and take him/it "up up and away" before the explosion happens, sacrificing his very own life to save Metropils and many other millions of people. This part reminded me to the end of SR but better, since he is not just lifting a kryptonite island, there is some action and some drama before it. It's also similar to TDKR's ending, but I'm fine with it since Superman is shown as a hero that is willing to sacrifice his own life to save everybody from a menace created by humans (Lex and the government), while some people could have some doubts about him after the kryptonian attack, this time everybody will be convinced that he is a real hero.

-And obviously Superman doesn't die, he throws Metallo away outside the atmosphere before the kryptonite explosion can fully reach him, and he is comepletely healed by the sunlight pretty soon afterwards.

-Back on Earth, Deathstroke is about to kill Batman, but before the last final blow, Deathstroke is hit by something that is too fast to be seen, but is immediatelly revealed to be Superman, who has saved Batman in the last second.

-Batman is all like: "I didn't need your help, I had him right where I wanted him", and Superman is all like: "Yeah, you are welcome". XD

-Luthor doesn't seem to be too worried, he makes it clear that he will never set a foot in jail, he is too smart, too rich, and has all the contacts. Batman wants to break his face, but Superman friendly asks him to not do it and to wait for the authorities. Batman agrees but leaves before said authorities arrive.

-Batman's name is ultimately cleared.

-Superman has a last scene with Lois that I can't remember well right now, some love stuff and something about writing the article for the Daily Planet talking about how Superman and Batman have saved the day.

-Bruce Wayne is in the airport with Alfred, he is going to leave Metropolis and go back to Gotham, but before that Superman wants to say goodbye. Bruce then knows that Superman has obviously used his x-ray vision to learn his real identity under the mask. Superman excuses himself and Bruce replies saying: "It's ok, Clark". Superman seems surprised, and Bruce says something like: "Well, wearing glasses is not exactly the best disguise ever". XD

A BLACK GULFSTREAM IV with the words “WAYNE ENTERPRISES” along the fuselage lands at a private airstrip, where a BLACK LIMOUSINE is waiting. With a HISS the airlock opens and a flight of stairs slides to the ground.

Following a STATELY, ELDERLY MAN is BRUCE WAYNE, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Early 30’s, black-haired with a stern disposition, for such a young man he has an air of seniority. He enters the limousine, which speeds away from the airstrip.

Wayne casually looks out the window at the hundreds of cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks and tractors with “LEXCORP” labeled on them as they rebuild dozens of skyscrapers.

WAYNE
Alfred?

ALFRED (driver)
Sir?

WAYNE
Luthor knows I’m here, right?

ALFRED
Of course, sir. He was told explicitly to clear his schedule for you.

WAYNE
(sits opposite the desk)
Alexander. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.

Luthor turns around and smiles the smile of a businessman. Calculating, cold.

LUTHOR
History repeats itself doesn’t it? Lionel Luthor and Thomas Wayne...you and I...
(takes a seat)
What is it about Metropolis that would make Gotham’s most reclusive bachelor come out of his cave?

WAYNE
Cute. I don’t have time for riddles, Lex. And I don’t have time for petty competition. I simply want to offer my help. Not to mention I have some personal stake in this. Your resident savior did take out one of my satellites.

LUTHOR
Petty competition? I’ve outgrown such high-school ambitions, Wayne. And we could always use the help. I’m not about to bankrupt my company just to make a good impression.

WAYNE
Although it does help your campaign for mayor.

LUTHOR
Although it does, yes.

A tense silence billows between them as Luthor leans back in his high-backed chair. Wayne notices the jade meteorite, seemingly on display on Luthor’s desk.

WAYNE
Been to China recently?

LUTHOR
(follows Wayne’s eyes)
Actually this is quite an interesting specimen. But it’s not jade. It’s a meteoroid fragment.

WAYNE
Interesting...

Wayne’s eyes zero in on the fragment, as if trying to examine it.

LUTHOR
(impatient)
So, do you want to talk numbers or what?

WAYNE
No need. My crews will handle everything from 37th Street to Metro Avenue. I just felt compelled to inform you.

Wayne stands and extends his hand to Luthor. Lex eyes it like a questionable meal but shakes it begrudgingly. Wayne offers the slightest hint of a smile, more of a sneer, and releases his grip.

CONTINUOUS – LEXCORP LOBBY

Alfred is patiently waiting for Wayne as he exits the elevator, thumbing through his smartphone.

ALFRED
(absentmindedly)
I trust your business proved amicable, sir?

WAYNE
That’s one way of putting it. My phone?

ALFRED
(hands phone to Wayne)
Updated and synced, sir.

CLOSE ON the phone in Wayne’s hand, and we see what appears to be SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE of Luthor’s office. Wayne zooms in on the meteor fragment on Luthor’s desk.

And I guess that nobody has actually believed that the stuff I wrote above was the real plotline for the first draft for the "Supes vs Batman" film. XD

But hey, I would like to watch something like that. XD

PS: Goyer will read that stuff I wrote above, then he will change Metallo's name for "The Brainiac AI", keeping the kryptonite because otherwise there is no way Batman could fight against Superman, he will also change the assassin for some other like Deadshot or Lady Shiva, and lastly he will add tons of nonsensical *****, plotholes and leaps of logic, and there you have your movie for 2015. Just wait and see. XD

A BLACK GULFSTREAM IV with the words “WAYNE ENTERPRISES” along the fuselage lands at a private airstrip, where a BLACK LIMOUSINE is waiting. With a HISS the airlock opens and a flight of stairs slides to the ground.

Following a STATELY, ELDERLY MAN is BRUCE WAYNE, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Early 30’s, black-haired with a stern disposition, for such a young man he has an air of seniority. He enters the limousine, which speeds away from the airstrip.

Wayne casually looks out the window at the hundreds of cranes, bulldozers, dump trucks and tractors with “LEXCORP” labeled on them as they rebuild dozens of skyscrapers.

WAYNE
Alfred?

ALFRED (driver)
Sir?

WAYNE
Luthor knows I’m here, right?

ALFRED
Of course, sir. He was told explicitly to clear his schedule for you.

WAYNE
(sits opposite the desk)
Alexander. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.

Luthor turns around and smiles the smile of a businessman. Calculating, cold.

LUTHOR
History repeats itself doesn’t it? Lionel Luthor and Thomas Wayne...you and I...
(takes a seat)
What is it about Metropolis that would make Gotham’s most reclusive bachelor come out of his cave?

WAYNE
Cute. I don’t have time for riddles, Lex. And I don’t have time for petty competition. I simply want to offer my help. Not to mention I have some personal stake in this. Your resident savior did take out one of my satellites.

LUTHOR
Petty competition? I’ve outgrown such high-school ambitions, Wayne. And we could always use the help. I’m not about to bankrupt my company just to make a good impression.

WAYNE
Although it does help your campaign for mayor.

LUTHOR
Although it does, yes.

A tense silence billows between them as Luthor leans back in his high-backed chair. Wayne notices the jade meteorite, seemingly on display on Luthor’s desk.

WAYNE
Been to China recently?

LUTHOR
(follows Wayne’s eyes)
Actually this is quite an interesting specimen. But it’s not jade. It’s a meteoroid fragment.

WAYNE
Interesting...

Wayne’s eyes zero in on the fragment, as if trying to examine it.

LUTHOR
(impatient)
So, do you want to talk numbers or what?

WAYNE
No need. My crews will handle everything from 37th Street to Metro Avenue. I just felt compelled to inform you.

Wayne stands and extends his hand to Luthor. Lex eyes it like a questionable meal but shakes it begrudgingly. Wayne offers the slightest hint of a smile, more of a sneer, and releases his grip.

CONTINUOUS – LEXCORP LOBBY

Alfred is patiently waiting for Wayne as he exits the elevator, thumbing through his smartphone.

ALFRED
(absentmindedly)
I trust your business proved amicable, sir?

WAYNE
That’s one way of putting it. My phone?

ALFRED
(hands phone to Wayne)
Updated and synced, sir.

CLOSE ON the phone in Wayne’s hand, and we see what appears to be SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE of Luthor’s office. Wayne zooms in on the meteor fragment on Luthor’s desk.

WAYNE
Now what are you...?

Love the dialogue between Lex and Bruce! And I dig the callback to Lucius's visit to China. I guess a phone call will never suffice for Wayne Enterprises.

__________________“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

SCENE- The Safer Skies main satellite: a huge vertical monolith that looks like a giant rail gun, complete with four "jaws" creating the barrel. Sitting at the edge of the Stratosphere, the satellite is locked in a world of perpetual twilight, hovering above the earth using Brainiac's anti-gravity machines, with just enough atmosphere left to remove the need for suits but not enough oxygen to breathe. We pan up to the top of the satellite, where Batman is standing with a modified helmet. The wind is constantly blowing his cape into epic shapes. He is clearly already hacking into the satellite's computer system.

BRUCE: On site and currently hacked into the computer system. We were right. There's enough memory space here to store an AI like Brainaic indefinitely. I recognize the design from LexCorp's new super-computers. Have they begun transmitting yet?

CUT-Metropolis, Mid-day. Superman is floating above the city, scanning around with his x-ray vision. He casts another look towards Lex Towers, and we see through his eyes a bustling command center, but he switches vision to show no current in the satellite yet.

SUPERMAN: Not yet. And you're right, they've got only a skeleton crew manning the tower. Eiling and his men are in the control tower, but they're just standing around. How's Luthor going to explain his absence from Metropolis if the gun safely fires?

BATMAN (through radio): He's out of the country, having a specialist treat his daughter's crushed wrist.

SUPERMAN: What happened?

BATMAN: They're saying I did it. She was fine when I saw her, and she hasn't ever been out of Luthor's custody.

Superman scowls angrily.

SUPERMAN: So how are we going to trap Brainiac between the broadcaster and the satellite?

CUT- The satellite.

BATMAN: If possible, you're going to destroy his land based drones as soon as he begins his transmission. When he makes contact with this satellite, I'll run a program designed to enslave the weapon and maneuvering systems to my computer. He'll be downloaded successfully, but paralyzed.

Batman casts a glance towards the computer screen, where we see warning message flash:

SECURITY BREACH DETECTED-DEPLOYING COUNTERMEASURE

Batman glares down at the screen, clearly surprised.

BATMAN: I've triggered a security line. Any action on your end?

SUPERMAN (radio): None. They don't seem to have noticed.

Batman hears something. Narrowing his eyes, he walks over the engines to peer down. He sees a mechanic's hatch open. One just big enough to hold a rather large man. He is suddenly hit from behind and falls off the ledge, revealing DEATHSTROKE, carrying a weaponized staff and brandishing it threateningly. We follow Batman down as he grabs on to a solar panel and hangs on, his cape still blowing in the wind.

BATMAN: Deathstroke's here. I'll deal with him. As soon as they begin transmitting, take out whatever drones you see.

Deathstroke, holding on to his own cable, drops down opposite of Batman and swings towards him, energizing the end of his staff and trying to impale Batman with it. We see Batman launch a cable and pull himself around the satellite. We then focus on Deathstroke's mask, which we now see has one glowing green eye adjacent to the red one. We focus on the green one and switch to....

CUT: LexLabs. Luthor and Milton Fine/Brainiac are observing a green tinted display that shows Deathstroke's POV, obviously from the killer's new eye.

LEX: I told you one of them would make a run on the satellites. And Deathstroke was the perfect "security feature" to stow aboard. But I'm curious, if you saw the need to follow my advice after they sped up the launch, how'd you get him there?

BRAINIAC: After his failure to execute the human interloper, I had one of my drones merge with him and secrete himself in the main satellite. My drone kept him alive thanks to his enhancements and my nanites.

LEX: Impressive. I didn't know you could do that.

BRAINIAC: This body itself was created the same way. You should have realized this. Gods do not bleed. Organics do.

LEX: I'll keep that in mind.

CUT: Metropolis. Superman raises his hand to his ear.

SUPERMAN: Batman! Are you sure you can handle him?

BATMAN (radio): I'm fine! Take care of the drones.

SUPERMAN: The drones aren't moving! They're staying in their pods!

Suddenly, we hear a rumble. Dust and detritus rises from the ground. We see through Superman's eyes that the pods themselves are moving. One of them breaks the service. It looks like a giant green eye. It focuses on Superman.

SUPERMAN: Never mind. Yes they are. They're just a little bigger than I expected.

The green eye pulses once, and a green shockwave floods outward, shutting down Metropolis once more. As it hits Superman, his radio shorts out for a while, but fades in and out with static.

BATMAN: * kzzzz* -peat that-*kzzz*-bigger?

Superman hurls himself into one of the drones, only to be swarmed by dozens of smaller ones.

SUPERMAN: Yes, bigger!

And here's the second part of the finale, so you could read them together.

Spoiler!!! Click to Read!:

CUT: The satellite

Batman is secreted behind an energy pillar, holding his cape down for concealment. We hear the static filter through his comlink.

BATMAN: Brainiac must have triggered an electro magnetic pulse. The com's shielded, but we'll have to be clear so we know-

A lasso lowers around the pillar and Batman's throat, though he manages to raise his hand and catch it before he is killed. We see Deathstroke behind the pillar, pulling it tight.

DEATHSTROKE: (oddly monotone) Your resilience is fascinating, human. Were it not for your persistence in opposing fate, you would be preserved for individual study and analysis.

Batman snaps out a batarang in his roped hand, slices the lasso, snaps out another and throws both at Deathstroke. Deathstroke draws three knifes, knocks both the batarangs out of the air, and the third slices into a gap in Batman's armor. He grunts, then deploys multiple smoke bombs to compensate for the wind. He follows the billowing smoke to hide around another pillar.

BATMAN: Deathstroke's no fool. There's no return trip from up here, even with those enhancements Luthor gave him. You're not Deathstroke.

DEATHSTROKE/BRAINIAC: Indeed. Colonel Wilson's body was the most practicable choice for securing the satellite. However, his mind continues to fight my own control. You are addressing Brainiac.

Brainiac whips out the weaponized staff and leaps to the top of one of the pillars, only to be immediately kicked by Batman. They continue to fight for a short time before Batman sticks a light explosive on Brainiac's arm, in explodes, and DEATHSTROKE screams, the green light dims, and for a second Slade Wilson is back in control.

DAETHSTROKE: He can't damage the satellite, but you need to damage the-

BRAINIACresuming control) -persistence is wasted effort. I am unending and pure in my purpose. Your planet is only one among many upon which my tests have been run, and the time has come for the final simulation. Sme sacrifices must be made.

CUT: Metropolis.

SUPERMAN drags a drone away from civilians it was attempting to attack. He is then tackled by a chimera, who points towards the other people in the street while we see the pods coalescing behind them into a vague skull shape. Numerous other drone begin attacking the humans.

SUPERMAN: No! Never again!

He rips the chimera in half with heat vision, than drags it along behind him as he super speeds and destroys over fifty drones before they can kill humans. He combines the wreckage into one pile, flies up, and melts the entire thing with a monstrous blast of heat vision. Shaking his head in obvious pain from the blast, he hears something and turns as the pods have finally formed into a giant Brainac skull, which opens up and "eats" him. Inside Superman tears about until the skull exposes it core engine: a small pound of kryptonite.

One of the drones, a grotesque mishmash of 60s tech with Brainiac drones, approaches.

BRAINIAC: You are an anomaly. The Kryptonians should have been extinct for three decades. Your unique physiology will be studied as soon as your resistance ceases.

SUPERMANin pain) You must be running out of options if you have to wait for that rock to stop me!

He continues to fight on, even as he weakens and begins to bleed. We cut away on a vicious punch that tears his lip.

CUT: LexLabs

LUTHOR: So that's your mainframe. Impressive, if a little ostentatious.

BRAINIAC: Your irreverence is meaningless. The Mainframe is the most powerful computing machine in this space system. I have observed the genesis and growth of your species from within its sanctuary.

LUTHOR: And yet you still needed my satellites and tower.

BRAINIAC: Mind yourself, Luthor. Your domain over the last days of humanity depends upon my successful upload to the system. Your contributions are welcomed, but your opinion is not.

LUTHOR: (quietly) We'll see.

CUT: The satellite.

Batman dangles underneath the satellite.

SUPERMAN: (over the comlink) I'm in*kzzz* combined station.

BATMAN: (growling) Repeat!

SUPERMAN: He. Consolidated. Around. Me.

BATMAN: Total mass?

SUPERMAN: Six? Seven? Tons.

Batman pauses. The satellite's engines clearly move it along the horizon towards Metropolis.

Superman, beaten like Rocky, fights on. We see through his eyes that he is using his x-ray vision for some reason.

BRAINIAC DRONE: You waste your waning strength on auxiliary powers. Logically, you should have learned something from your battle with your people.

We see Superman's vision fail to pierce one part of a drone. He smiles.

SUPERMAN: I did.

He grabs that drone, rips off the lead he couldn't see through, and through a it around the exposed Kryptonite. Gathering his strength, he tears through the ceiling and hurls the whole thing down and beats on it, before sliding it out of town and into the bay.

CUT: the satellite.

Batman, placing a bomb on the engine pillars, is suddenly jumped by Deathstroke/Brainiac, who lifts him up by his throat.

BRAINIAC: Your stratagem is obvious.

Brainiac stabs the bomb with his sword. Then his head tilts curiously.

BRAINIAC: Wilson has gone silent. He suspects something. You must have planted more bombs. (He lifts his hand) Where are they?

BATMAN: I'm not telling.

BRAINIAC: It won't matter.

A cybernetic tentacle, one we saw earlier connect with Superman to read his mind, crawls up Brainiac's arm and stabs towards Batman's eye. Batman screams.

LUTHOR: No, it's your failure. You were supposed to kill the alien, and die in battle with him.

Brainiac blinks, then attacks Luthor.

CUT: The satellite.

We see Batman's memories through Brainiac's mind probe. We see multiple "bombs" being set up, but they are revealed to be another gadget entirely. Then we see what Batman actually did: he programmed the Batwing to ram the satellite.

BRAINIAC: No!

Batman suddenly slams his own gadget into the green eye, and we see it spark. Brainaic is driven from Deathstroke's body as the latter collapses. We see the Batwing approach and ram the satellite full bore, throwing both men off the satellite as it begins to plummet to the ground.

CUT: Metropolis Bay.

Superman continues to pummel the Brainiac station into the water.

BATMAN: (over comlink) the satellite is inbound for your location.

Superman looks up, and sees the falling monolith.

SUPERMAN: (smiling) Perfect!

He positions the station and punches it right into the satellite. All but Brainiac's LexLabs drone are destroyed.

BATMAN: By the way, I'm falling toward a the earth at terminal velocity. And I can't fly. At all.

Superman grins and takes off.

CUT: LexLabs.

Brainiac lifts Luthor up by his throat.

BRAINIAC: You sabotaged your tower.

LUTHOR: No, I underpowered the tower. I sabotaged the satellite. A complex program to lock you inside and give me full firing control. You would have believed you remained in charge until after we'd eliminated the alien, either with your body or with Safer Skies. Than I would have taken it and started mining you for your secrets.

BRAINIAC: Your treachery has doomed the universe and yourself. You should be grateful I will slay you now, and spare you the Great Darkness bound for your sentient species!

LUTHOR: Hah! A superstitious robot! That's a first!

BRAINIAC: You doubt the truth of my purpose? My creators were destroyed by the Darkness in a nightmare no mortal may fathom. (Mind probe tentacle emerges) I shall show you.

He stabs Luthor with the probe, but instead of showing Lex, Lex shows him something: Lex gathering wreckage from the crashed Kryptonian scout ship, in particular Zod's command key, studying it, and reverse engineering a dagger shaped plug in device.

Lex stabs Brainiac with it and we see his glowing cybernetics shut down.

LUTHOR: Well, at least plan B worked.

__________________“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal."

Okay, after hearing about the fact we have a Batman now (Affleck), I've been inspired to write a possible teaser trailer, with heavy nods to Jeph Loeb (hey, he helped inspire the Dark Knight trilogy and some of the Kansas scenes of Man of Steel, so why not this film?) and a bit to Dini/Timm:

We begin with LIGHTNESS, BRILLIANT WHITE. But then we hear a voice, a voice of THE MAN OF STEEL, SUPERMAN. We hear strains of Zimmer's MOS score.

SUPERMAN (v.o.)
The dream always begins the same...

RAPID CUT of stock footage of Jor-El and Lara, Krypton, the launch of Kal-El's ship, it going by the moon, the destruction of Krypton etc. from MOS, as Superman continues to voice-over it

SUPERMAN (v.o)
...My parents, sending me into space as their world died around them. Hope surviving in me...

Abrupt cut to utter blackness, the music stops, and as Zimmer's (presumably) new theme for BATMAN begins (a bit more heroic sounding than the Dark Knight themes, but still noticably dark and gritty), we hear the voice of THE BATMAN.

BATMAN (v.o)
The nightmare always begins the same....

Abrupt cut to footage of Batman's origin- perhaps it's specifically shot for the teaser, perhaps it is from a brief one-or-two minute "if you are one of the four people who don't know Batman's origin, here's the deal" sequence from the film- either way, we see some of those images: of a family leaving a theater, of a mugger, of a gunshot and pearls falling to the ground and a child wailing and then a Bat screeching, and through it all, Batman continues his voiceover:

BATMAN (v.o)
...My parents, dead at the hands of a gunman from the shadows. My childhood dying, a WAR beginning...

Now we cut to the light and the dark next to each other, as images and footage of the two heroes- both from the film, MOS and some select comics, play briefly as now the music weaves together and the two heroes speak alongside each other

SUPERMAN (v.o.) / BATMAN (v.o)
I was born with powers beyond those of other men... / I have honed my mind and body to be better than other men...

Slowly, the LOGOs of the two heroes begin to emerge, as the dual speech continues...

SUPERMAN (v.o) / BATMAN (v.o)
I need to use them to be a champion, an inspiration to the people of Earth... / I have become a legend, a myth, a bogeyman to the criminals of Gotham...

The LOGOS are now fully on the screen, separated by the line between light and darkness.

The LOGOS COLLIDE, light and darkness merge and fracture alongside each other, the logo of the film now stands there, as the two heroes finish their speeches and the music crescendos:

SUPERMAN (v.o) / BATMAN (v.o)
I'm Superman! / I am Batman!

CUT TO the release date of July 17, 2015, and then, before the standard showing of credits that they show at the end of trailers, we get a quick 2 second look at the two heroes looking at each other, meeting face to face for the first time.... and then credits... and then... BLACK.

Love the dialogue between Lex and Bruce! And I dig the callback to Lucius's visit to China. I guess a phone call will never suffice for Wayne Enterprises.

Thanks! And I didn't even intend that as a callback I just feel that if Kryptonite is in the film it shouldn't glow, but rather have a jade-ish appearance. And since jade is most associated with China, I figured Bruce would ask that question. But its a happy coincidence nonetheless.

I've read the "Batman vs Superman" first draft, here is the basic plotline:

-We are introduced to the new Gotham City in the first scenes.

-Batman has been framed for the murders of several criminals and the Gotham Police Department is after him.

-Gordon thinks Batman is innocent but he has his hands tied.

-Just when Batman is close to catch a criminal, said criminal is murdered just a moment before. He is unable to identify the assassin, but follows him to what seems to be his hideout.

-The place is suddenly surrounded by the cops, the murderer must have called them, the hunt for the bat's head begins. It's very similar to the famous scene from "Year One" that was paid tribute in "Batman Begins" or in the last scenes of TDK, but this time the cops are really close to kill Batman, he barely escapes alive with Alfred's assistance (who is using the Batcave's computers to monitor the police's movements and to help Bruce).

-After some investigation in the batcave, Batman learns that the murders are somehow connected to Lexcorp when one of the Wayne Enterprises satellites finds out that several encrypted transmissions have been sent from Lexcorp's main offices to the location of the assassin's hideout during the last few weeks.

-Batman tells Alfred that he might have found a clue about who could be behind the murders, and they are going to travel somewhere else outside Gotham City pretty soon.

-The following scenes are placed in Metropolis.

-The damaged parts of the city are being rebuilt by Lexcorp.

-Perry tells Lois that she and Clark have to cover for the Planet a big party where Lex Luthor is raising founds for the victims of the kryptonian attack in the previous film.

-Lois opinion about Luthor is not very good, while Lombards thinks that he is "a real hero" that is saving Metropolis.

-Once in the party, Lex is introduced and gives a speech that is received with a great applause and enthusiasm. He thanks everybody (there are guests from all around the world) for supporting Metropolis and its people in these tough times after the frustrated "alien invasion".

-Lex then shows a hologram of how Metropolis will look after Lexcorp has finished its work (this reminded me to the party scene in the "Lois & Clark" tv pilot).

-Then Lex welcomes Lois and Clark. Lois has covered Luthor's rise to fame and how Lexcorp has become one of the main american companies, but she thinks that his methods can be very shady.

-While Lex is focused in his conversation with Lois and basically ignores Clark, the new Daily Planet reporter leaves them both to grab a couple of drinks for Lois and himself, and in the bar he meets Bruce Wayne, "the only american in the party as rich as Luthor", Clark says. Wayne makes clear that he is "actually richer", but maybe not for too long, since rebuilding Metropolis is going to guarantee huge profits for Lexcorp, and they have also got several militar contracts that Wayne Enterprises rejected because Bruce was not interested in "certain fields" (military weapons).

-Their conversation is quite friendly and Bruce tells Clark that if he ever goes to Gotham he should call him, and gives him his "Wayne Enterprises CEO" card, something that impresses Lois shortly afterwards, since Wayne's relationship with the press has always been strictly professional or charity-related, not much is known about his personal life except for his romances with all kinds of women, so she thinks that it's weird that they are now "friends" and congratulates Clark because he could be the first reporter that could get a personal interview from Bruce Wayne.

-Back in the Daily Planet, Clark is on his desk using his computer to look for info about both Luthor and Wayne. He finds out that Lex is a self-made billonaire and a genius in almost every known field, while Bruce is the main heir of the Wayne Family who lost his parents by a violent incident when he was a kid. I guess this way the "origin" story for Bruce/Batman is not necessary on this movie.

-Soon afterwards Superman is contacted by the military through the same guy from MoS (General Swanwick): the US government is concerned by the Gotham vigilante known as Batman, he has become a dangerous example that could be followed in other cities by "other extremists thinking that they can mete out justice by themselves". The police has not been able to catch him so far and the use of military force could scare the gothamites, specially after the events of MoS, if the citizens saw the military in their streets they could freak out, so the president has decided to ask for Superman's help to handle the situation. Superman accepts the task, he'll try to find out what has happened and will stop Batman if it's necessary. I guess this is the main "Dark Knight Returns" influence that was talked about.

-Later that night, Batman sneaks into Lexcorp's main building looking for new intel about who might have framed him, but what he finds there is something else that was completely unexpected, Luthor seems to be working on something way bigger than what Batman could have thought before. He finds out that Lexcorp has all the remains of Zod's ship and all kinds of intel about the kryptonians. They also seem to be builiding/making something else that is undoubtly related to the kryptonians and Superman. Then the alarms go off and Batman has to leave before the security cams or the guards can see him.

-When Batman is leaving the Lexcorp building, Superman has previously heard the alarms and finds him, telling him to freeze/stop. Batman knows that he is no rival for the kryptonian, he could be dead in less than a second if Superman wanted it so, but anyway he has to try or otherwise he could find his end right there.

-Batman uses some of his gadgets and everything he has on his utility belt, but nothing seems to work against Supes.

-Superman tries to make him understand that he can't escape and should just surrender, but due to pure despair Batman just runs towards Superman and punches him on the face. Batman is surprised because Superman is so fast that he could have easily dodged the punch, but something seems different, something has changed, and Superman starts to bleed, you can see the shock in both of their faces.

-Then Batman continues beating the sh** out of Supes, he just can't react, he tries to defend himself, but he is unable to do it.

-Once Superman is completely beaten in the floor, Batman realizes about how this has been possible: he had picked something from the Lexcorp labs, a little green rock with a level of energy and radiation so high that immediately caught his attention. Somehow this radiation must have been absorbed by Superman's cells like the sunlight, but instead of making him stronger, this radiation seems to make him weaker.

-Batman tells Superman to be careful, because that rock was just one of the several that Luthor had on his lab, and he doubts that Lex has got them with the best of the intentions.

-Batman leaves with the rock and Superman starts to feel better and can stand up and also leave.

-Next day Clark is fully recovered, the sunlight has healed him and he talks with Lois about what happened the night before. Lois is obviously pretty concerned about what is going on in Lexcorp, but Clark asks her to not get into trouble, he will find out why Lex is collecting all that kryptonian stuff.

-Then Superman contacts General Swanwick again to ask him why Luthor has all the remains of the kryptonian spaceships plus much more intel about him and Krypton. Swanwick seems to be genuinely surprised and doesn't know what Superman is talking about, but he is going to call to The Pentagon asap to learn what is going on, since all the kryptonian stuff was being supposedly in the US military's and government's hands, not in the hands of a private company.

-Meanwhile Lois is (obviously) investigating by herself what is going on in Lexcorp, and when she is getting close to know the truth, she is almost kidnapped by Lexcorp's men, but before that happens Batman appears and stops them, saving Lois.

-He tells her that he has found out what Luthor is doing: Lex is looking for kryptonian's weaknesses to build a machine powerful enough to kill Superman or any other kryptonian. Certain people in the government asked for Lexcorp's help after the kryptonian attack in MoS because Luthor was seen by them as the only human that could accomplish such task. This way Lexcorp also got all the military contracts that Wayne Enterprises rejected, being the main one to look for a way to defend humans against Superman or other kryptonians if this was necessary. This last project was only known by a few people in the government like the Secretary of Defense, hence why Swanwick had no idea about it.

-Lois tells this all to Clark and as Superman he goes to demand an explanation from Luthor in Lexcorp. Once there Lex tells him that he is a danger for the whole human kind, that his people almost killed us all and his mere existence is just unacceptable. They have a verbal fight and afterwards Luthor introduces his new creation: Metallo, an android with the sole purpose of killing kryptonians, powered by the immense energy of what he calls the "kryptonite" rocks.

-From the description in the screenplay, Ultron is going to have a tough competition for the "Badassest Killer Android of The Year" award in 2015. He/It has been built with the remains of the kryptonian ships, that were made with materials tougher than anything found on Earth so far, he is also way bigger than Superman (more like a mechanical Hulk), is as strong and as fast as him, has kryptonite lasers coming out of his eyes and mouth, feels no pain and has no feelings, his/its only goal is to kill Superman and nothing can stop him/it.

-He/It is an android without human parts like his comics counterpart, I guess WB/DC want to avoid any possible controversy once Superman (obviously) wins and "kills" this machine.

-Then the "big" fight starts, after the huge fight in MoS it's obvious that Snyder needs another good show for this new movie, but this time the screenplay makes it very clear that Superman is much more experienced and careful to avoid any possible collateral damage. Also pretty soon he is joined by Batman in a flying machine that I guess that will be pretty similar to "The Bat" from TDKR or maybe a modernized Batplane, this is going to be amazing for sure, can't wait to see it on screen.

-Metallo is winning the fight against Superman, and Batman can barely stop him/it. His flying machine is ripped by Metallo in the middle of the battle, but he is able to jump out of it before it crashes in an evacuated building/street or in the sea (the screenplay leaves this to the director's choice).

-The fight continues without Batman, who from the top of a building sees the Lexcorp tower and understands that he has to find Lex and force him to stop this all before Superman is dead and half of the city is destroyed (again XD).

-Batman finds Lex, and just when he is about to kick his b*tt, he is stopped by motherfreaking Deathstroke, who has been hired by Luthor to protect himself and was the real assassin behind all the deaths in Gotham that Batman was framed for.

-Luthor sent Deathstroke to Gotham to frame Batman and this way force the "Superman vs Batman" confrontation later through his military and government contacts. Luthor thought that Superman would easily kill Batman, and once this happened he would clear Batman's name and Superman's public image would be severely damaged for having killed an innocent human and superhero. Luthor's ultimate goal is the White House in a few years, and once there he would have used Metallo against Superman when the "alien" was at his lowest point of popularity, Batman's death would have been just the first step to damage said popularity, but he didn't count with Batman coming to Metropolis, his subsequent survival and the following events. I'm not completely sure about how they are going to explain all of this in the movie, but I guess that it will be developed in the next drafts.

-Batman and Deathstroke fight while Superman and Metallo do the same thing, but both heroes are having a tough time. The Batman fight is planned to show all his potential as a fighter like no other film has done it before.

-Superman finally learns how to avoid the kryptonite influence, fighting Metallo from the distance, using his heat vision, his superspeed, and also throwing all kinds of stuff towards the android. Superman is healing from his previous wounds due to the sunlight and Metallo is finally losing, but before that could happen, he/it has a last card up his/its metallic sleeve: his/its goal is to kill Superman by any means necessary, even if that means to start a selfdestruct protocol that will blow up the whole east coast with a kryptonite-nuclear explosion, not even Superman could survive to this.

-Then Superman makes the choice to grab Metallo and take him/it "up up and away" before the explosion happens, sacrificing his very own life to save Metropils and many other millions of people. This part reminded me to the end of SR but better, since he is not just lifting a kryptonite island, there is some action and some drama before it. It's also similar to TDKR's ending, but I'm fine with it since Superman is shown as a hero that is willing to sacrifice his own life to save everybody from a menace created by humans (Lex and the government), while some people could have some doubts about him after the kryptonian attack, this time everybody will be convinced that he is a real hero.

-And obviously Superman doesn't die, he throws Metallo away outside the atmosphere before the kryptonite explosion can fully reach him, and he is comepletely healed by the sunlight pretty soon afterwards.

-Back on Earth, Deathstroke is about to kill Batman, but before the last final blow, Deathstroke is hit by something that is too fast to be seen, but is immediatelly revealed to be Superman, who has saved Batman in the last second.

-Batman is all like: "I didn't need your help, I had him right where I wanted him", and Superman is all like: "Yeah, you are welcome". XD

-Luthor doesn't seem to be too worried, he makes it clear that he will never set a foot in jail, he is too smart, too rich, and has all the contacts. Batman wants to break his face, but Superman friendly asks him to not do it and to wait for the authorities. Batman agrees but leaves before said authorities arrive.

-Batman's name is ultimately cleared.

-Superman has a last scene with Lois that I can't remember well right now, some love stuff and something about writing the article for the Daily Planet talking about how Superman and Batman have saved the day.

-Bruce Wayne is in the airport with Alfred, he is going to leave Metropolis and go back to Gotham, but before that Superman wants to say goodbye. Bruce then knows that Superman has obviously used his x-ray vision to learn his real identity under the mask. Superman excuses himself and Bruce replies saying: "It's ok, Clark". Superman seems surprised, and Bruce says something like: "Well, wearing glasses is not exactly the best disguise ever". XD

I know there are readers of scripts and there have been people on here claiming to have read scripts and at least one i have seen seemed genuine, but, are you just yanking our chain with this?